1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to a method for producing folded, bound printed products. The invention also relates to the folded printed product.
2. Description of Related Art
It is known for printed products to be produced such that their individual pages are printed continuously by an electronic printer and these continuous pages are then stacked, bound and folded. This electronic printing makes it possible to produce one complete printed product after the other, it being possible for two printed products which are produced one after the other to have different contents and/or numbers of pages.
The disadvantage of this process is the fact that the maximum number of pages of folded printed products produced in this way is limited. Thick printed products can only be folded with very great difficulty, if at all. In addition, both thick printed products and thin printed products have a round, convex spine, which takes up more space and is not aesthetically pleasing.
The object of the invention is to provide a process which is intended for producing a bound printed product and makes it possible to produce more advantageously configured printed products.
The object is achieved, in particular, by a process for producing folded, bound printed products comprising a plurality of printed subproducts, in which an initial product is printed sequentially in such a manner as to produce a series of printed subproducts (pages) which are to be arranged one after the other, the initial product has a weakening line or the printed subproducts are provided with a weakening line, and the printed subproducts are collated, folded along the weakening line and bound.
The process according to the invention ensures that the printed subproducts have a weakening line, for example a folding, scoring or crease line, before they are folded, with the result that, during folding, the printed subproducts bend along the weakening line, which provides the advantage of it being possible for thick and thin printed products to be folded neatly, it being possible for even very thick printed products, i.e. printed products comprising a multiplicity of pages, to be folded.
In an advantageous process step, two spaced-apart weakening lines are provided on the printed subproduct, the spacing between said weakening lines preferably being increased in successive printed subproducts. This makes it possible to produce folded, bound printed products with a, for example, flat spine.